Steering-gear for aeroplanes.



n. TAMPIER. STEERING GEAR FOR AEROPLANES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 23, 191i.

Patented May 20, 1913 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Witnesses.

B. TAMPIER.

STEERING GEAR FOR AEROPLANES.

APPLIOATION FILED 0011.23, 1011.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witnesses.

UNITED STATES PATENT curios.

RENE TAMPIEER, orranxs, FRANCE.

STEERING-GEAR FOR AEROIPIANES.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. Ran: Tiuvirinn, citizen of the French Republic,residing at Paris, Department of the Seine, in. France,

simple,- novel and efficient manner. I

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which-Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of one form of the-improved steeringgear. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a section on the lineAA in Fig. 2. Figs. 4

and 4 represent a modification of the meansfor connecting the handwheels withvthe tail. Fig. 5 is a plan of the device in Fig. 4. I

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the rudder showing the manner ofmounting the same on a framework and the relative locations of theactuating members.

The steering gear comprises broadly a movable rudder constituted by arigid frame 1, 2, 3, 4. preferably presenting the form of a triangularpyramid the apex l of which is directed rearward. The frame 1, 2, 3, iforms the skeleton of the rudderand canvas or the like is stretched overall its faces in the usual manner. The pyramid 1, 2, 3', 4

ends at the rear in a supplementary surface 4. This pyramid is suspendedfrom the fuselage of the apparatus at 4 by a ball and socket joint 5 orthe like. The two apexes 2 and 3 of the base 2, 3, 4 are connected withthe operating gearby ri id rods 6 and 7 provided at their extremi icewith universal or ball and socket joints. In the constructionillustrated by way of example the gear comprises two hand Wheels 8, 9arranged one above the other and carried by a tube 10 and by a tube 11respectively, the tube 11 being arranged inside the tube 10. These tubes10 and 11 may control the displacement of the rods 6 and 7 eitherdirectly or by the intermediary of reduciiig gear.

ln'the lulu-cease the following device may he cmploycdz.Worm puuons1?,13 keyed upon the lower end of the tub 10 and it Specification ofLetters Patent.

. Application filed October as, 1911.

Patented May 20, 1913.

Serial No. 656,139.

mesh with toothed sectors 14 and 15 carry ing levers 16 and 17 to whicharms 18, 19

carrying the extremities of the operating rods 6 and 7 are attached.

The steering gear operates in the following manner: The rudder may begiven movements which will correct the apparatus when it has beendeflected from its running pos'ition air currents by a variation of pressure or any other cause. The apparatus is a then displaced in describingin the air a movement which approachesa helicoidal movement and whichmay be regarded as the resultant of three simple movements; theinclination of the longitudinal axis of the apparatus (pitching)oscillation around this axis (rolling) and deviation of the apparatusfrom its position which is termed stability of route. The steering eardescribed above permits of opposing isplacee ment of the apparatus andof corrccting it by imparting to the steering member movements-oppositein direction to those to which the apparatus issubjectedin enterin thecurrent. In this case the hand whee are operate in the following manner.One of the hand wheels (the hand Wheel 9 for example) is turned in theproper direction; the rod 7 is displaced forwardand upward for exampleand the apex 3 of the rudder rotates in a plane perpendicular to 2, 4.,the

point ft remaining fixedfl Therudder will then be displaced laterallyand att-he same time directed upward, these efit'ects beingproportionate to the lengths of the sides of thetriangle 8, 2 and .3,4'. This ratio can be determined in accordance'with thecharacteristics'of the apparatus. The hand wheels 8 and 9 can also beacted upon in the following manner. If simultaneously with thedisplacement of the hand wheel '9 the hand wheel 8 is also rotated insuch a manner as to modify the position of the point 3 a hclicoidalmovement with variable characteristics will be given to the rudder. Ifthe two hand wheels 8 and 9 be rotated through the same angle in thesame direction the two rods 6 and 7 will he displacedequally in oppositedirections one toward the front and the other toward the-rear and therudder 1, 3, 4 will be displaced laterally in 'rotating about the joint4. If the hand wheels 8 and 9 be rotated through the same anglctinopposite directions the rods 6 and 7 will be displaced together towardthe frontor toward the rear theresult'being to displace it upwardordownward so that the a j brat-us will merely be caused to ascend orescend.

- tail being The steering gear which forms the object of the inventiontherefore comprises a' cud der capable of movement either about averother by the rotation of one cit-these hand.

wheels only. I

It is obvious that an which will produce the form of rudder esuedSteering eitfect may be used which can be m unted I three triangularlyarranged points, as desen Figs. {and 5 show a modified form of gear forcontrolling the rudder, This arran emerit affords a. perfectly rigidoontroi of t. 1e

.by a ball and socket-joint 5 or the like,

movable rudder of the, apparatus such that the lateral thrusts of thewind which might cause the rudder to oscillate around its joint exert noaction upon the controlling gear. The steering gear comprises broadly inits preferred form a yramidal movable taii 1, 2, 3, 4 suspended rem theframework 4 he side H of the bjeejz, 3, 4 is connected with thelevers18; l9 which/are respectively con trolled by the hand; wheelsStand 9 by meansv of rigid triangular transmissions 20, 22, 537

and 21, 23, "28; These connecting triangles areconnected by their apexes20, 21 and 27,"

28 respectively to the levers 18,19 and to the have 23 by'means cfCardanor ball and socket joints. Similarly the apeaes 22, 23

are mounted by the intermediary of bait 40' and socket joints uponlevers 24, 25 ending in collars loose upon a fixed shaft 26 rig-id" withsome conven ent part of the apparatus. It will be readily seen that thismethod ouE-= mounting prevents any lateral displacement of the rudder asaresult of gusts ofqvind acting'upon one of its faces while at the sametime permitting of all displacements of the rudder by means of theoperating hand wheels. If the hand wheels 8 and" 9 be rotated throughthe same angle and in oposite directions the levers'18 and 19 move 1nthe same direction and the levers 23 and 24 rotate around the shaft 26in the same direction. If the hand Wheels 8 and 9 be rotated in the samedirection the levers 18 and 19 on the one hand and 23 and 24: on theother hand more in the opposite direction. If a single lever (the lever18 for example) be displaced in the direction indic'ated by the arrowthe extremity 2? of the operatmg trlangie moves to the left downward and111 front 01: the plane of the figure because this ext emity rotates!around fixed lines 4, of ac o triangle of the rudder. the z WMMulataMv:WM WM t t v ocate? operating triangle having to move in a Similar mannerthe upper collar of the lever owing to a certain play that it hasdeecribee a helicoidal movement on the shaft so that the apex '22moves'towar-d the left-downward and in front of the position thatit-occupied. It should also be noted the connection of the two operatingtriangles perx'nitscf giving any desired displacement to-t-he collars ofthe lBVBI'SQd, 25 upon the shaft 26 without the tail being able to moveotherwise than as controlled by the steering wheels.

33x1 the construction described a third hand .wheei 29 has been shown;this wheel acts by the intermediary of a tube 36 concentric wit; theother tubes upon a worm pinion By means of an appropriate system oflevers 33, 34, 35 this imon controls the displacement of two w eelssimilar to the front wheels of anautomobile thereby enabling theapparatus to be steered on theground.

In order to prevent the tubes 10, 11 from accidentally influencingeachother these two tubes may be separated by an intermediate concentrictube not shown.

I claim .1, Steering mechanism for aeroplanes and the like comprising arudder mounted t at three triangularly arranged points, said rudderadapted to be actuated bodilyabout one ofsaid points and adapted to beactuaied about axes formed by said point and either of the remainingpoints.

2. Steering mechanismv fort aeroplanes and the like comprising a ruddermounted for universal movements about one point, means to actuate therudder bodily-about said point, said mean connected to the rudder at twopoints'formin g with the firs named point a triangle, the rudder beingmovable about axes formed by said first-' named point and either of thelastmamed said members about an axis formed by said first-named pointand the point of connection of the other member.

e A steering gear-for aeroplanes and the like comprising a ruddermounted for universal movements atone point, indep'end', cntly movableactuating members connected to said rudder at two other points, said'n'xembers, being held against lateral moveonts to prevent the rudd rfrom being actuated by wind forces A steering gear comprising a rdddernamed point a triangle,

mounted for universal movements at one point, means to actuate therudders about said point comprising independently movableactuating-members connected to the rudder.at two points forming withsaid first each of said actuating members being mounted for pivotalmovements about a point intermediate the ends thereof.

6. A steering gear comprising a rudder mounted for universal movementsat one point, means to actuate the rudders about said point comprisingindependently mov able actuating members connected to the rudder at twopoints forming with said first named point a triangle, each of saidactuating members comprising a triangular frame ivoted at one apex forpivotal movements thereabout.

-7. A steering gear comprising a rudder mounted for universal movementsat one named point a triangle, each of said actuat ing memberscomprising a triangular frame, a fixed shaft intermediate the ends'ofsaid frame from which one apex of the frame is suspended, said framesbeing pivotally movable about said shaft but limited in lateralmovements thereon.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signa-,

ture', in presence of two witnesses.

RENE TAMEPiER.

Witnesses:

H. C. Coxn, Louis HORN.

